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Whither Sinusitis?

Miles Weinberger

Clinical Pediatrics, March 2018, SAGE Publications

DOI: 10.1177/0009922818764927

Stop calling a cold sinusitis!

What is it about?

Overuse of antibiotics is unfortunately all too common. Most antibiotics for what is called "sinusitis" are a waste since the symptoms are primarily those of an ordinary viral cold.

Why is it important?

Antibiotics are not free of side effects. Adding an antibiotic for viral infection essentially just adds insult to injury. Not only is the patient suffering from the cold, but side effects of antibiotics are then added.

Perspectives

Professor Miles Weinberger (Author)

University of California San Diego

It's important to keep things in perspective. Only a small minority of what is called "sinusitis" justify use of antibiotics. Those are the patients who, late in the course of a cold experience fever and severe localized pain over a sinus. Virtually all other "sinusitis" diagnoses are self-limited illnesses that will be little or no effected by antibiotics.